Moving Beyond Bars
Moving Beyond Bars
Rochester, MN – Rochester Art Center is proud to present Moving Beyond Bars, an immersive exhibition featuring monumental artworks and personal writings created by incarcerated women at the Florida Women’s Prison in Ocala, FL, and incarcerated men at the South Dakota State Penitentiary (Sioux Falls) and Mike Durfee State Prison (Springfield, SD).
Developed through residencies supported by the National Endowment for the Arts (2023–2024 and 2024–2025), the exhibition is led by Minneapolis-based dance/theater director Suzanne Costello and visual artist Ariadne Albright. At the request of incarcerated participants, this work has since toured to more than a dozen locations across tribal and rural South Dakota communities and most recently was presented at the Institute of Contemporary Art/ Miami in August.
Through large-scale murals, written reflections, video documentation, and an original soundscape, Moving Beyond Bars highlights the power of creative expression as a pathway for reclaiming identity and preparing for reentry into society. The exhibition invites visitors to engage deeply with the lived experiences, resilience, and humanity of incarcerated individuals.
Moving Beyond Bars began in 2022 as a program designed by Costello and has since been presented in prison and reentry environments across the U.S. Over the course of 2-3 week immersive residencies, Costello and Albright guide participants through group discussions, writing exercises, visual art practices and movement explorations that evolve into visual artworks and group performances presented at the conclusion. This process affirms each participant’s lived experience, making space for healing, expression, and transformation.
Contributors to the exhibition range in age from their 20s to their 70s, represent diverse cultural backgrounds including Native nations, and have prison sentences spanning from a few years to life without parole. Some participants had never engaged with art before, while others drew upon deep cultural traditions. For all, the program offered a rare and powerful opportunity to rediscover their essential selves.
Exhibition Details
Title: Moving Beyond Bars
Venue: Rochester Art Center
Dates: October 11, 2025 – February 8, 2026
Admission: $8 Adults, $5 Seniors & Military, FREE for ages 21 & Under
Request a Group Tour at: https://www.
Website: https://www.
Contact | Kalianne Morrison, Advancement Director | kmorrison@rochesterartcenter.